


Good Tidings We Bring, To You and Your Kin

by BiP



Category: Leverage
Genre: Chef AU, Gen, Pre-OT3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-25
Updated: 2014-12-25
Packaged: 2018-03-03 13:41:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2852837
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BiP/pseuds/BiP
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chef AU for the OT3.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Good Tidings We Bring, To You and Your Kin

**Author's Note:**

  * For [rories](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rories/gifts).



_VO: This week on Leverage Your Kitchen, our final three chefs will face their biggest challenge yet - themselves. (VIDEO: fast clips of all of the ousted contestants) We know what Chefs Spencer, Parker, and Hardison can do alone (VIDEO: each chef, and then a shot of their signature dish) - but how will they face the task of letting go of their egos and working together? (VIDEO: stock holiday footage) And not just for any meal, but the most important meal of the year – Christmas._

 

 

"This is bullshit," Eliot Spencer growls. "I don't work with a team."

 

"Not like I'm all that excited about working with you, either, you know," Alec Hardison states flatly. "You don't know nothing about anything that ain't meat and potatoes. Wouldn't know a foam from a sphere if they bit you on the-"

 

"-because people want to eat actual food, Hardison, not that crap,” Eliot interrupts. “Food is an art, not a science. You put your whole heart into something, people will taste that."

 

"Yes, yes. Food is love. Food is science. You're both right." Parker sits on the counter in the set kitchen, swinging her legs and glaring at the always present camera. Then, quicksilver, she brightens. “Good thing I love Christmas! Come on, this will be so much fun!”

 

"And you," Hardison says. "You gonna end up putting cereal on everything, I just know it."

 

"I like cereal. Don't knock it until you've tried a crust made of cornflakes and sour cream. Beats your panko to hell. Now lets focus, here - we've got like six hours!”

 

An hour later, she's elbows-deep in that crust, covering a prime rib roast over Eliot's strongly worded objections. “You're such a purist,” she says, laughing. And he is, but he really cares about what he's doing; both the food and the kid's charity he's playing for.

 

 

_VO: Chef Eliot Spencer. Left a promising career in the White House kitchens and disappeared off the scene for four years, then re-appeared just as suddenly with a wildly successful restaurant in Texas, fusing styles of cooking from around the globe. Nate Ford, Restaurant Backer: “Somehow, Spencer manages to take food from Thailand, Serbia, Kiev, even San Lorenzo, and fill them with heart, make them this warm thing.” Chef Spencer is playing for the Make-a-Wish Foundation._

 

 

They have divided the work, but the boys gradually bow to Parker's love of the holiday to guide them in what will become the full menu. Parker's got the roast going, and Eliot has made a figgy pudding which is soaking in rum. Hardison insists on adding a little something - “Are you going to kill us? Dammit, Hardison, don't poison the judges!”

 

“Excuse you? I will have you know that I've never poisoned anyone,” Hardison says. “Although I might make an exception for you,” he grumbles under his breath.

 

Parker pokes him. “Remember, Santa's watching!” she says, nodding up at the camera light. Hardison laughs at her, waves at the camera, and turns a still-grumpy face to Spencer. “Trust me. It will be worth it.”

 

They have a harder moment with Hardison's other dishes. Parker is insistent that they have to show they can work together, but Hardison's signature is still a very unusual talent.

 

_VO: Chef Alec Hardison doesn't like it when you call it “molecular gastronomy.” Alec Hardison – Chef: “It's science, and it's food, and it's magic. That molecular gastronomy nonsense is something the culinary elite thought up because experimental sounds too much like anyone could do it. Which they can, but they gotta follow the rules!” Chef Hardison is playing for the National Center for Science Education._

 

Appretizers are easy, as are cocktails – Parker is especially excited about the gelatinized sangria. They decide to sprinkle perfect little spheres of sriracha over the prime rib at serving, and potatoes and peas with a smoked cheese foam for a side.

 

“This doesn't stretch me at all,” Hardison says, disgruntled.

 

“That's not the point,” Parker reminds him. “The challenge is to meld your style to mine and Eliot's.” She has insisted on Christmas music in the kitchen set to get them in the spirit, and dances with Hardison and Eliot in turn, swinging back and forth between them.

 

As food cooks and the kitchen fills with wonderful scents, they talk about Christmases past and start to share with each other little secrets no one else knows (except the whole world, now, unless they get to the editor first – Hardison has a plan for that). Hardison tells about Christmases with his Nana, Eliot opens up about Christmases spent in countries where a small chicken fed the family for a week. Parker listens and smiles and talks about snow.

 

_VO: Chef Parker can best be described as unconventional. Sophie Deveraux, Employer: “Parker is a riddle wrapped in an enigma wrapped in sunshine.” (Video: montage of Chef Parker through different challenges.) “I love kale!” “I love cheese!” “I love chocolate!” “I love...whatever this weird meat is!” “I love Christmas!” Chef Parker is playing for No Kid Hungry._

 

The challenge finishes unconventially as well, with all the judges at a single table, eating with the chefs as each course is served. A holiday meal, complete with critique. Judge Bourdain is as impressed with the sangria as Parker was, and Judge Brown enjoys the prime rib, correctly guessing all of the ingredients BUT the cornflakes.

 

Parker nudges Hardison under the table. “Told you it was better than panko.” Eliot glares at them, but it turns into a grin as soon as they look away.

 

When it's time for the final course, dessert, all three Chefs leave the table and return bearing the pudding, matches, and a little more of Hardison's something special.

 

Eliot reaches out to light it, with a muttered “yipee ki yay, m-” Parker pokes him, and the match falls, and the pudding lights with a whump and....

 

“SPARKLES!” Parker cries in delight, clapping her hands together.

 

Hardison sprinkles more powder into the flame, and more sparkles appear.

 

_VO: Today, our solo chefs found it in their hearts to work together, as a team. They are all winners, and all of their charities will receive the prize._

 

While Eliot talks countries without names with Bourdain, and Hardison talks food science with Brown, Parker is back on the set countertop, swinging her legs and smiling. She loves it when a plan comes together, and she knows that when the boys are done, they will go and get a drink together, and see what happens next.

 

Whatever it is, she'll love it.

 

 


End file.
